Five new recruits were sworn-in Friday morning as officers with Lafayette Police Department, and four current officers were honored.

Officers Khoury Elias, James Jarrett, Matthew Meeks and Jeffrey Tislow received Silver Merit Awards for their quick thinking and skillful communication when, on April 14, they extracted a driver with a head injury from his truck after a serious wreck.

Chief Patrick Flannelly said the four honorees embody LPD's "spirit and professionalism" to which the department's five newest members should aspire.

"It's not always easy to find people that can do this job," he said, noting that LPD's new hires — Neil Chidalek, Joseph Dorroll, Cassandra Leuck, Evan McCain and Dustin Rusk — completed a rigorous application and interview process.

Flannelly said the true test of LPD's efficacy isn't found solely in crime statistics. The sense of safety and trust that residents feel when they walk down the street is a better metric, he said.

The police are the public and the public are the police: that's the message Flannelly delivered to the new officers, emphasizing the importance of mutual respect between a law enforcement team and the community it serves.